Sewing machine with vacuum-operated means



May 14, 1968 R. G. DENORA SEWING MACHINE WITH VACUUM-OPERATED MEANSFiled Oct. 23, 1965 United States Patent 3,382,828 SEWING MACHINE WITHVACUUM-OPERATED MEANS Reta G. Denora, 4895 SW. 99th Ave., Beaverton,Oreg. 97005 Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,979 3 Claims. (Cl. 112218)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sewing machine with an evacuator memberspaced laterally from the needle in the machine cradled in an apertureprovided in the top of the sewing machine table. The evacuator member issupplied a vacuum through a flexible conduit, and is liftable from itscradled position to clean remote areas of the sewing machine.

This invention relates to sewing machines, and more particularly to asewing madhine featuring vacuumoperated means for clearing awork-supporting bed in the machine of loose thread, bits of cloth andother waste typically produced during the operation of sewing. Withconventional sewing machines, such material accumulates and is picked upand carried away by the Work being sewn, with the result that a productis produced which has waste sewing materials adhered thereto and isuntidy. With the machine of the invention, sewn articles may be producedwhich are neat and require little cleaning. Furthermore, because thework-supporting bed is maintained free of debris, the operating parts ofthe machine are best maintained in working order.

A general object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improvedsewing machine with novel vacuumoperated means for clearing awork-supporting bed in the machine of threads and other waste material.

More particularly, this invention contemplates vacuumoperated means forclearing a work-supporting bed in a sewing machine which features anevacuator mounted in a position protruding above the top of the workbed, with an exposed mouth which by sucking in air produces a rush ofair over the work-supporting bed operating to draw material into theevacuator.

In a specific and preferred embodiment of the invention the evacuatormember is mounted in a region spaced laterally from the needle in thesewing station of the machine, preferably adjacent the usual standardwhich forms part of the sewing machine frame. The mouth describedpreferably faces a portion of the work bed which is located on the feedside of the sewing station and directly in front of the sewing machineoperator. During the act of sewing, as bits of waste are accumulated,these are sucked into the evacuator member, and the operator ifnecessary may assist in the removal of such waste, especially in thecase of larger pieces, by brushing the same toward the evacuator.

A further object is to provide such a machine where the evacuator isdetachably mounted in a protruding position above the work bed of themachine, and may be removed from the work bed by drawing it upwardlytherefrom, with the evacuator remaining attached to a vacuum producer inthe machine. The evacuator may then be employed for cleaning areasremote from the normal mounting point of the evacuator.

A related object is to provide an organization as described, whereinwhen the evacuator is situated in its normal mounted position, where itprotrudes from the top of the work bed of the machine, means in the workbed cooperating with the evacuator positions the evacuator in apredetermined position with the mouth of the mem- 3,382,828 Patented May14, 1968 her facing a set direction which is toward a region locateddirectly in front of the operator.

The vacuum producer is provided with a bag or other receiver forcollecting waste material removed by the evacuator. In a preferredembodiment, a construction is selected wherein heavy metallic objects,such as pins, needles, etc., are inhibited from being inadvertentlysucked into the evacuator and the receiver described.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by the invention,and the same is described hereinbelow in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, somewhat simplified, illustrating a sewingmachine including vacuum-operated means for clearing the work-supportingbed in the machine as contemplated herein;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken generally along the line 2-2 inFIG. 1, and on a slightly enlarged scale; and

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating portions of the work-supporting bed in themachine, and a cross section of the evacuator member provided in theapparatus contemplated, taken generally along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings wherein a particular embodiment of theinvention is illustrated, and specifically to FIG. 1, shown generally at10 is a sewing machine. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated,the machine comprises a table 12 and projecting upwardly from the top ofthe table a standard 14 having projecting laterally out from the topthereof a bracket arm 16.

The top of table 12 is formed by a plate 18, a plate 19 on the feed sideof plate 18, and an encompassing plate 20. These plates have topsurfaces which are all substantially flush, and the plates together formthe work-supporting bed for the machine. It should be obvious, ofcourse, that the work-supporting bed may be formed of other than threeplates as specifically described, and the particular construction whichis utilized will vary somewhat depending upon the make of the machineand the particular model.

What is referred to as a sewing station in the machine is showngenerally at 22. It is in this sewing station that stitches are actuallyperformed in the work, i.e., cloth, which is being processed or sewn. Asis conventional with the usual sewing machine, the sewing stationincludes an end-wise reciprocating needle designated at 24 which isdisposed immediately above and adjacent the work-supporting bed of themachine and which reciprocates up and down upon operation of the machineto produce stitches in cloth advanced through the sewing station.

Referring now also to FIGS. 2 and 3, according to this invention thereis provided an evacuator member shown at 26 which protrudes above thework bed of the machine. The member is positioned preferably adjacentstandard 14, at a point located laterally from the sewing station. Theevacuator member in the embodiment illustrated takes the form of anozzle with a right angle bend between its ends. Portion 26a of thenozzle generally parallels the plane of the work-supporting bed. Theleft extremity of this nozzle portion in FIG. 2 is bounded by a lip 26bdefining a mouth for the nozzle which faces a direction paralleling thetop of the work-supporting bed. Referring to FIG. 1, it will be notedthat this month is substantially wider than it is high. Portion 26c ofthe nozzle extends downwardly in FIG. 2, and has mounted on the lowerend thereof the upper end of a flexible conduit or hose 28. Within thenozzle is a passage 30 which opens to the atmosphere through the mouthdescribed, and which has its other end communicating with the interiorof conduit 28.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 the evacuator member or nozzle is shown in its normalresting place, which is seated in the work-supporting bed of themachine, with the upper portion thereof projecting above the top of thework bed. In

this position portion 26c projects downwardly through an aperture 32provided in plate 19, such aperture constituting cradling means in theinvention loosely mounting the evacuator member. The aperture is ofirregular outline, more specifically approximately rectangular inoutline, as shown in FIG. 3, and this outline is matched by thetransverse cross-sectional outline of nozzle portion 26b. As aconsequence, with the nozzle portion in its normal resting position, lip26b defines a mouth which faces a set direction in the machine, morespecifically a region 34 which is generally in front of the machineoperator and on the feed side of the sewing station.

Mounted on the underside of the table top is a motor 36 which may be aconventional electric motor. The motor has its output shaft (not shown)connected in the usual manner to the fan of a conventional blower 38.Intake 40 of the blower has the end of conduit 28 opposite the endearlier described fastened to it, as by clamp 42. Mounted on thedischarge end 44 of the blower is a bag or receptacle 46 used forcollecting material which is drawn downwardly through the conduit intothe blower. The bag is detachably mounted in place by clamp 48.

Motor 36 which runs the blower has its operating periods controlled by aswitching unit 59, which unit controls the supply of electricity to themotor through an electric cord 52. The switching unit is actuated in theembodiment illustrated by a knee-operated lever 54.

While in the specific embodiment illustrated the motor and blower unitare shown supported on the underside of table 12, in certain types ofmachines, of course, this mounting might be changed in order to permitcollapse of the machine or for some other reason. Furthermore, controlof the motor may be by other means than the knee-operated lever shown.For instance, a foot pedal or other switching control could be utilized.

Describing now generally how the sewing machine may be operated toproduce a sewn product free of waste threads and cloth accumulations,the sewing station of the machine is run in the usual manner with theoperator passing the cloth to be sewn beneath the needle described.Preparation of the cloth to be sewn is done in region 34. Upon theaccumulation of bits of thread, pieces of cloth, etc. in this workingregion, the same may be swept clean by starting the motor and blower 38using lever 54. With the blower running a vacuum is produced in conduit28, whereby air is drawn over the top of the table into the open mouthof the nozzle, with a current of air resulting over region 34 effectiveto sweep the region of material. While this air current in itself issufficient to remove most of any waste material which may collect inworking region 34, the operator may assist in clearing the region bybrushing material generally toward the direction of the mouth of thenozzle using the side of the hand or other means. With the regioncleared of material, the motor and blower are stopped by the release oflever 54.

When it is desired to clean specific portions of the machine remote fromthe location of aperture 32, the evacuator member or nozzle may belifted upwardly out of the work-supporting bed with such movementaccommodated by the reach of flexible conduit 28 which extends beneaththe bed.

It will be noted that in the embodiment of the invention illustrated lip26b includes a bottom reach, shown at 27, which is slightly above theplane of the work bed with the nozzle portion seated in the aperturedescribed. Thus,

a slight ridge is present which prevents heavy metallic objects such aspins, etc. from being sucked into the nozzle and carried into the blowerunit. This is preferable, as it inhibits damage to the working parts ofthe blower, reduces possible injury in handling the bag when emptyingit, and enables such objects to be separated out and reused.

Because portion 26a extends parallel to the top of the work-supportingbed, there is no opening in the construction which is exposed upwardly,into which objects may fall on being dropped inadvertently. The mouth tothe evacuator, in order words, by facing the plane of the table top,produces the desired current of air, with the hose at the same timebeing shielded from above.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described,obviously changes and variations are possible without departing from theinvention. It is desired to cover all such modifications and variationsas would be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that come within thescope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a sewing machine having a work-supporting bed and a sewing stationincluding an end-wise reciprocating needle disposed above and adjacentsaid bed for stitching work passed thereunder,

an evacuator member having a mouth disposed in a rested position locatedlaterally from said needle, with said mouth being exposed to the top ofsaid Work-supporting bed,

a vacuum producer,

flexible conduit means connecting said vacuum producer and evacuatormember whereby a vacuum is applied to the top of said bed through themouth of the member and movement of air occurs over the top of said bedaway from said needle and into the open mouth of said evacuator member,and

cradling means mounting the evacuator member loosely in said restedposition, the evacuator member being separable from the cradling meansand elevatable with respect to said cradling means and the level of saidbed with such movement accommodated by said flexible conduit meanswhereby the evacuator member may be employed in cleaning areas remotefrom said cradling means.

2. The sewing machine of claim 1, wherein said cradling means andevacuator member are cooperatively shaped whereby with said evacuatormember mounted in said cradling means, the mouth of the evacuator memberfaces a set direction.

3. The sewing machine of claim 2, wherein said cradling means comprisesan irregular outline aperture facing upwardly from the bed of themachine, and said evacuator member comprises a nozzle with a right anglebend between its ends, one end of said nozzle having a crosssectionaloutline matching the outline of said aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,661,51'9 12/1953 Rubin.2,827,867 3/1958 Happe 1l22l8 XR 3,084,647 4/ 1963 Matchett et al.112-252 3,125,052 3/1964 Spivey 1l2-252 3,142,279 7/ 1964 Rubin 1l2252JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Examiner.

